


The Heart of the Matter

by Valerie_Vancollie



Category: Numb3rs (TV)
Genre: Babysitting, Canon Compliant, Canon Era, Canon Het Relationship, Canon Universe, Challenge Response, Child Neglect, Community: numb3rs_het, FBI, Gen, Humor, LiveJournal, LiveJournal Prompt, Missing Persons, Misunderstandings, Original Character(s), Original Character-centric, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, POV Child, POV Male Character, POV Original Character, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Quote Challenge, Running Away, Short, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-22 19:56:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18534424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valerie_Vancollie/pseuds/Valerie_Vancollie
Summary: To children, life is simple and uncomplicated; something adults can learn from.





	The Heart of the Matter

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old fic being posted here for the first time now that I have an AO3 account. Unlike for my other fic, my original site for this fandom still exists and is [3695](https://valeriev84.livejournal.com).
> 
> **Time:** Ambiguous  
>  **Spoilers** : None  
>  **Note:** This fic was written for the summer fic quote challenge at [numb3rs_het](https://numb3rs-het.livejournal.com/) to write a fic inspired by a chosen quote prompt.

_Grown-ups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them._ \- Antoine de Saint-Exupery, _The Little Prince_ , 1943

 

Eric laughed as he sped in his tricycle down the slight slope in the sidewalk. Kathy had gotten distracted by a phone call from her boyfriend and he'd used the opportunity to make his escape. He hated just playing on the driveway, it was boring. Besides, he knew to stay off the road. He had just turned four and was a big boy now. His mommy had saided so.

When his tricycle stopped at the bottom of the slope, Eric frowned. What to do now? Oh, he could go see the big doggy! Mommy never let him pet her and he really wanted to. Goal determined, he started biking but soon had to stop. As he rested, he heard loud voices from the house next to the sidewalk.

Oho, they was arguing. Arguing was bad, Mommy said. He wasn't allowed to shout either as that was bad too. Why was they arguing? Eric looked at the house, it was the one where his Mommy had stopped to ask a man a question. She thought she had seen a bad man and he was one of the good guys. He had even seen his gun! He wanted to become a good guy and shoot the bad guys like on the shows Daddy watched.

Eric frowned as he remembered what the good guy had told Mommy, that he was house sitting. But he hadn't been sitted on the house and wasn't doing so now. No, he was inside, arguing. Big people had funny words, like Mommy calling Kathy the babysitter, but he hadn't seen her sitted on any babies.

The front door opened suddenly and a woman stormed out, looking angry. She walked to a car, got in and drove away. Eric watched the car go. He wanted to drive one, but Daddy said he needed to wait until he was older. Why couldn't he ever do any of the fun stuff?

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

The good guy was walking towards Eric. Mommy had told him never to talk to people he didn't know when playing outside, but she had talked to him and he was a good guy so it was okay. Even if he was asking a dumb question. "Biking."

"Yes, I can see that," the good guy replied looking around before he crouched down beside him. "Where's your mother?"

"Away. She and Daddy had to do something."

"And what about you? Who's supposed to watch you?"

"Kathy. She sits on babies," Eric told him solemnly.

"Really?" the good guy smiled.

"Yes," Eric replied, glad to see him happy and not arguing. "Why were you arguing? Good guys shouldn't argue."

The good guy blinked, looking surprised for a moment. "Ah, well... People argue sometimes."

"But don't you love her?"

"What?"

"Mommy said you loved her and that is why she was staying here as you sat on the house."

"It's complicated."

"No it's not. If you love her you shouldn't argue," Eric declared firmly. "Mommy and Daddy don't argue."

"I-" the good guy began before pausing. "Yeah, you're probably right. You're very smart."

Eric smiled at him, pleased a good guy liked him even if what he said was obvious. "What's your name, good guy?"

"Don," he was surprised again. "What about you, do you have a name?"

"Everyone has a name, silly. I'm Eric."

"And your last name is Swerdlow, right?"

"Yes, did Mommy tell you that?"

"Yes, she did," Don confirmed before he frowned as he heard sirens in the distance. "Where do you live, Eric?"

"Number four."

"Do you know the street name?"

"No. But it's back like that way and then you turn and turn again."

"Ah, I see," Don nodded. "Just give me a minute and I'll take you home."

"I don't want to go home. Want to see doggy!"

Don paused, phone in hand. "But Kathy is worried about you."

"No, she's talking on the phone."

"I see," Don replied, face serious.

"Is wrong?"

"She should be playing with you and not talking on the phone."

"But she always talks on the phone."

"Have you told Mommy?"

"No, should I?"

"Yes," Don said as he opened his cell.

"You're going to talk on the phone," Eric pointed out with a frown. "No one plays with me!"

"I will, I just need to tell the other good guys that you're okay as they think a bad guy has you."

"Really?" Eric questioned, eyes wide.

"Yeah," Don said. "Megan, it's me. Listen, can you check and see if an alert has been issued about a possible kidnapping of Eric Swerdlow?"

Eric forgot all about the doggy as he watched the good guy. This was just like in Daddy's shows. Wait until he told Mommy and Daddy about it! It was an adventure.

"No, I'm not trying to work on my day off," Don said. "I just found Eric, seems he got away from the babysitter and since I hear sirens, I think she's called it in."

"Why is Kathy a babysitter? She doesn't sit on babies!" Eric questioned. It made no sense.

"Just a second, Eric," Don stated. "Okay, thanks Megan."

"Does she really sit on babies? Wouldn't that kill them?"

"No, she doesn't sit on babies. A babysitter is someone who looks after kids, like you, when Mommy and Daddy need to go away for a short while."

"Why are they called babysitters then?"

"Well, uh, I'm not sure, but I think it's because when they look after babies there's not much else to do but sit and watch them."

"Because they sleep so much."

"Yeah, that's it. Now, why don't you show me where your home is?"

"But it's up and I'm tired."

"How about I carry you then?"

"Really?" Eric asked, eyes large once more. He'd seen a boy get carried by a good guy in Daddy's show.

"Yeah, come here," Don said and picked him up when he got off the tricycle.

"What about bike?"

"I've got that too," Don said as he reached over and grabbed it. "Now, which way?"

"There. It must be boring to watch babies sleep."

"Yes, it is."

"So why do people do it?"

"To make sure the baby is safe."

"From the bad guys?"

"Yes, but also to make sure the baby doesn't hurt herself."

"Why isn't Kathy called a kidplayer? I'm not a baby and she doesn't sit and watch me sleep."

"Because she may also look after babies and it's easier to use one word."

"Turn here," Eric said as he thought about that. "So why are you a house sitter?"

Don looked surprised before he smiled. "Because I'm looking after my brother's home while he and my Dad are away."

"So you just sit there and watch it all day? That's boring!"

"No, I just make sure the plants are watered, the fish are fed and things like that."

"Oh. Turn here."

As Don had walked, Eric had found the sound of police sirens had gotted louder before they'd stopped. As they turned the corner now, he caught sight of two police cars parked outside his house with their lights flashing.

"Cool!"

"No, not really," Don said. "They were all very worried about you."

"Why?"

"Because you left without anyone knowing so they thought something bad had happened to you."

"Oh. But- Mommy!" Eric cried out in surprise as he saw her.

"Eric? Eric!" Mommy came running towards them, tears on her face as she took him and squeezed him, kissing him everywhere.

"Mommy!" Eric complained, squirming.

"Are you okay, baby? Are you hurt? What happened?"

"He's fine," Don reassured her as he put down the tricycle. "Seems he decided to go for a ride while Kathy was on the phone."

"Agent Eppes," Mommy said just as the police reached them. "Thank you for bringing him back!"

"It was my pleasure."

 

August 2008

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I know this turned out more gen than het, but Don wouldn't let me end it where I had originally intended to, which Eric having said his piece on arguing. No, Don had to insist on getting the little guy home too :)


End file.
